New-York tribune., 1887-04-24
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
OBSERVATIONS IN OFFICIAL SOCIETY.

nj n theatre Tho President who occupied o
lower proscenum box naturally came in for large share
Of attention. His arrival was tho signal for mild
outburst Of applause He took II with good deal OF
stocsm and. In fact throughout the performance no
looked excessively bored Not the fantest suggestion OF
smile umned his features In the course Of the three
that the play consumed Once or twce he oapped
with his nabby hands but In such perfunctoy manner
suggest the action Of automaton rather than OF
flesh and blood. Mrs. Cleveland was conspicuous oy
her abscnoe she has not appeared In public since her
grandmother death 6ecreary Whitney sat beside tho
Presdent the embodiment Of activity and hvellness,
tempered by discretion Beside him tho clever wife or
the cleverest of private secretaries, Mrs. lamont occu
pied . conspicuous place In tho box. Tho unsophiS
cated vistors from NewYOrk took her at hrst to DO
Mira Cleveland. Secretary Fairchld and Assstantseo-
retary Thompson with their families coupled another
box the venerable W. w. Corooran another In tho front
row of the orchestra Secretary Bayad looking the
careworn and preocoupied. Tho diplomatic world WAS
but meagrey represented. the Frcnch Minister believe
being the only weknown diplomat present II tho
price actually paid by tho occupants Of seats on Monday
night had turned into tho fund.- tho would prob
ably have been $5 900 instead Of little over $4,000
largo number OF seats however taken nearly two
weeks before at the regular prices and aferward dis
posed Of at heavy ADVANCE not by speclators but by
bona de purchasers who unable to use them. but
ought think. to have turned over the premium they
obtained to tho fund
There is good doa Of talk this year about the prom-
ncnce which divorced women. women living apart
from their husbands, have assumed In Warrington
society OF late several ladies' coming under this head
have been rather conspicuous. and they undoubtedly
havo shown anxiety act tho part Of leaders" This
been resented by tho young matrons who heretofore
have had II all their own way In the skrmishes how
ever which took place last winter they were crowded
completely the wall by their rivals who, as rule. IL
must be confessed. much moro clever aoi move
about In atmosphere OF mystery and freedom very
congenia TO tho foreigners OF questionable anecedens
with whom the different legations here are stocked to
overnowing The foreigners made tho pets OF
society here They are believed TO give tone to
entertainment They are sought for at dnners- They
receive invitations to every ball No theatre party Ia
considered without Its proportion OF foreign
attaches II is In this way that the divorced contingent
has succeeded in forfyng ts position hcra Its even
patronzed by the highest official society much To the
dsg,ist Of the straitlaced set who accustomed
to that direction II no; for brightness at least for
respectable dullncss.
The Capitol is almost deserted nowadays Only here
and there can you discover in its dakened corridors
bridal couple wandering about or q huDgrylooking
guide casting eager glanccs at every stranger entering
the great portals The Supreme Court however. Is still
in session. quietly Ia its work DONE devoid OF
anything approaching sensation arc its sngs, that
outside the legal fraternity and few interested persons
perhaps II Ia not known that the judges are stu at
work dropped into tho Supreme Court the other day
There exactly eleven persons In the ROOM Eight
OF them judges was the clerk OF the court and
counsel The Chief Justice seemed the only one
listening n dry argument delivered by q counsel with
a nasal twang deDoting New England descent Justices
Field and Stanley Matthews were conversing In an
undcrtona Justice Batchford looking up some law
points In pondcrous looking volume before him. Jus
uce Gray the bachelor Of the court appeared
be watching two atcnuatcd flies left over from ast
season and gamboing In the judicial presence Justice
Bradley his custom. reclned In his chair his head
resting upon his hand and his dmlnutvo body com
pIetely hidden by the folds OF his gown Justice Miller
looked with knitted brows from the clock 70 the counsel
and who seemed to represent tho opposing
interest glowered ssvagey at the entire bench IL was
a strange Once In awhile the counsel would stop
TO hunt for papers and then painful pause would
ensue You could hear only the scratching OF the clerks
pen or the rustng paper Justice Batchord turned
some pages before him Tho echo OF ostcps
In the corridor outside fell with startling distincncss
upon OF those in the chamber and the entrance OF
stranger seemed to give much relief almost a. the
appearance upon the stage OF new character after some
drcadfuy dull people have worried passive audience
into silence OF despair.
Washington affords excellent opportunities for observ-
ing the occasional cropping out OF the old spirit OF the
Rebellion among Southern born people At the opening
Of the war; when the states Rights theory regarded
by many chief In the temple OF lib
erty tho Southern who cost asido his allegiance 10
State and espoused the of the Union was re-
gardod apostato This WAS especially trueyn tho
case Of army and navy officers One would think that
| when the war ended family blood would within n
reasonable period grow but this is rarely true
The lieutenant tho captain In tho army or the navy
who regarded with soemnlty tho oath no had previously
taken defend the Union and therefore surrendered
the associated with the State OF his birth
for the more serious obligation whoh he owed to tho
l ,tan IL,
the affections OF the members OF his own family who
remained upon the other side have recently witnessed
an illustration OF this In the Of certain we'll known
/ naval officer who bears q somewhat famous Southern
name and has great many relations While sitting by
the side OF Southern lady Of strong rebel sympathes
this distinguished naval officer entered the room Hcr
face assumed at expression OF intense bitter
ness rose accept his pronered hand she looked
yacantly across the room although was aware that
| they knew each other we'll How can you shake hi
handr she asked as resumed my scat lie ia miscr
able apOstae His family ignore him completely for he
the only among them all that took the aide OF The
| Yankees"
ventured tho remark that possibly he was tho only
one who was committed by oath TO such and
innoccny added that however much the people OF Tho
South might pride themselves upon their bOasted sense OF
| honor such claim could DO reconced with the
officers who surrendered their comnisson to assa the
Government which had been their educator and benciao
|
the word Bahi dropped from the beautiful lips OF my
southern friend, and left aono, watching her no
less lovely form vanishing with indignant bearing
through the open door learned afterward that was
tre that the officer mentioned had been totally dsre
garded by his family OF whom have recognized him
since the War;
closing hours OF every Congress give rise TO many
| ludcrous Incidents Members become exhausted BY all
night sessions and close watcbfuncss OF the little meas
which, In the capacity OF sponsors they are guiding
through the trcacerOus paths OF Legislation Al such
times the heroic character OF their work requires fro
quent bracng up and when at last the end comes the
| human system temporarily coapscs little story Is
told Of Southern member In the final hour OF the last
Congress which, until now, has not found It's way into
print With unsteady step and generally disney
elled appearance he entered the barber shop OF tho
House and after delay succeeded In stretching him
self In the chair The artist approached him and
carefully tucked the towel under the statcsmans chin
| want to be fixed up said tho member. I'm going
home To my wife, and don't want to looks II had boen
| vetoed by the President Give me a shaver
sAn right sah," the reply the barber took up
his cup and brush and began To ather his customers